


leagues of social climbers are about

by ApatheticRobots



Series: treating tfp starscream right since the show won't do it [3]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:55:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26024557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApatheticRobots/pseuds/ApatheticRobots
Summary: Planning a coup against the guy who literally started the Decepticon movement may not be Knock Out's smartest move, but it sure as hell is his boldest.Now he just needs to make sure it doesn't go horribly wrong along the way.
Relationships: Breakdown/Knock Out, Knock Out & Soundwave (Transformers), Knock Out & Starscream (Transformers), Optimus Prime & Soundwave
Series: treating tfp starscream right since the show won't do it [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1919443
Comments: 40
Kudos: 153





	1. Section 1: Knock Out & Breakdown

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this whole thing in one night, didnt get it beta'd, and am really just throwing concepts at a wall and seeing what sticks, but if folks like it I might end up going further and turning it into a properly thought-out and planned story instead of what really just amounts to a collection of drabbles 
> 
> gonna post the last two chapters periodically, saving them so i have something to post between chapters of RaI
> 
> i think this is compliant with one of my other kobd & stsc fics so its gonna go in a series with that one when i get around to it
> 
> oh yeah this takes place after operation: breakdown but before metal attraction

Knock Out wasn’t sure how many times Starscream had ended up on the medical berth in front of him at this point. It had to be in double digits, which wouldn’t have been too absurd during wartime, except for the fact that nearly every single one of those times had been caused by his own commanding officer rather than injury sustained on the battlefield.

It was bad enough that even Knock Out, for all he lacked morals or scruples or whatever, was starting to think maybe something should be done about it. 

Breakdown, who definitely had morals and scruples and all that, and had been telling him that they should do something from the beginning, was getting insistent enough that Knock Out was actually listening. Which wasn’t to say he didn’t listen to his partner in  _ other _ situations-- just that when it came to things like this, where it would require Knock Out and Breakdown to act in a way beyond just their combined interests, he tended to put off the conversations as long as possible.

“How long, huh?” Breakdown asked, keeping his voice low to avoid waking the seeker recharging across the medbay. “How long until he goes too far and offlines Screamer? Hurts him in a way we can’t fix? How long are you gonna let this go on, Knock Out?”

“I don’t  _ know, _ Breakdown. Is that enough of an answer for you? I don’t have a slagging clue. I mean--” He huffed, leaning against the big frame of his partner and hating that things had become so complicated since they joined the Decepticon ranks on the  _ Nemesis. _ “What do you want me to do? Starscream would never agree to leave, and it’s not like we can talk sense into Megatron. Ever since he started chugging that Dark Energon he’s been acting like a slagging nutcase. That stuff can bring mechs back from the dead, I don’t even want to  _ think _ about what it’s doing to the processor of a living one. Not like I could ever find out, since the scrapheap never sits still on a medical berth longer than it takes for me to buff a scrape. He’d never let me do a scan to figure out what that stuff is  _ really _ doing to him.”

Wisely, Breakdown kept his mouth shut while Knock Out rambled. The medic needed to talk through his thought process, and interrupting that would just make him start all over again.

“If I could ever get him to sit still, I could just solve the problem with a little intentional malpractice. But not only does he act like he’s allergic to being in the medbay, Soundwave would know in an  _ instant _ if his death was anything but accidental. It’s almost creepy, I’d think that mech really was a telepath if I hadn’t scanned him and seen the proof that he was just really observant myself. If only we could get him to see how fragged in the head Megatron has become--” Knock Out went silent, optics glinting.

“Knock Out, no.”

“Oh, Knock Out  _ yes.” _

“Knock Out,” Breakdown said, tone low with a warning, as it always was whenever Knock Out got that particular look. “What are you planning?”

“I’m thinking I need to have a little  _ chat _ with our communications officer.”

“You can’t be serious-- Knock Out, Soundwave is literally  _ the _ most loyal Decepticon, on Earth or anywhere. He’s been with Megatron since they were gladiators, he was practically the very first mech to even  _ be _ a Decepticon besides Megatron himself. He’ll never agree to do anything that could put the big guy in harm’s way.”

“I can be very persuasive.”

  
“Not that persuasive. Look--” Breakdown wrapped his arms around Knock Out’s midsection, leaning forward to set his chin on top of Knock Out’s head. “We have to do something. But we should think small. Maybe just… offer Starscream some emotional help.”

Silence.   
  


“Okay, maybe not that, but-- Knock Out, you’re proposing treason. You’re proposing asking the  _ world’s most loyal Decepticon _ to help you commit treason against  _ the guy who started the Decepticons. _ This is far-fetched, even for you.” Knock Out was prone to getting crazy ideas in his processor, and Breakdown was prone to getting dragged into whatever they were. It had been quite some time since he’d thought of anything this excessive, though.

“This isn’t just about Starscream anymore. He is the catalyst, yes, but Breakdown-- Megatron is  _ insane. _ As a medic, I can diagnose him as such, and I’m doing that now. The decisions he makes, the orders he gives-- they aren’t the actions of a sane mech. He’s unhinged and unmanageable. He’s sabotaging the Decepticon movement from the inside and he’s not even doing it on purpose.”

“So, what, you want to assassinate him?”

“In simple terms, yes. In less simple terms that will sound better in a contract, I want to remove an unfit leader from service and replace him with someone better suited to the task.”

“And just who would that be?”

Knock Out’s optics flickered to the seeker splayed out on the medical berth.

  
Breakdown followed his gaze, frowning for a moment, then-- “You  _ cannot _ be serious.”

“I am plenty serious.”

“But--  _ Starscream?  _ He’s-- I mean--”

  
“He’s  _ sane. _ Riddled with anxiety and PTSD, yes, but he’s still got a functioning logic core and as much as Megatron likes to pretend otherwise he’s _ good _ at what he does. Frankly, he’s  _ better _ when Megatron’s not around. He  _ thrives _ in a role of authority. I know you’ve spoken to the vehicons, and I have too-- they talk about the three years Megatron was missing and Starscream was in command and they say it was  _ better. _ Because Starscream rarely if ever punished his footsoldiers for things they had nothing to do with, and he didn’t send them on fruitless missions to be shot down like cannon fodder. He’s full of himself and doesn’t know when to shut up, yet at the same time he’s intelligent and driven. I don’t know about you, but I prefer listening to him prattle on about how capable he may or may not be than having to listen to Megatron rant and rave about Optimus Prime during all hours of the day. At least Starscream says something new once in a while instead of repeating the same damn sentiments until he’s foaming at the mouth.”

Breakdown’s frown deepened, but he looked as though he was actually considering Knock Out’s words. That was just one thing he loved about his partner-- he knew quite well that Knock Out was more than just a pretty face and acted as such. That wasn’t something Knock Out got from a lot of mechs.

“He’s not gonna be able to do it alone.”

“Of course not. He’s never been able to. But you and I are on his side, and I believe the vehicons would be more inclined to follow you on any given day. I am going to speak to Soundwave, you cannot stop me from doing so, and I’m going to get him to see reason. And we’re going to go about this  _ sensibly _ instead of just taking any opportunity we have to stick a knife in Megatron’s back.”

“...And we’re going to overthrow the leader of the Decepticons.”

“Well, it sounds a lot worse when you just up and say it. Almost like we’re  _ Autobots _ or something.”

“Wouldn’t that just be terrible.”

“Quite.”

Breakdown sighed. “Guess I’m helping you. You’ll need all the muscle you can get.”

“Oh, come now, you know you’re much more than  _ just _ the muscle, right? I could use your tactical abilities as well. It’s hard planning a coup all on your own.”

That got a snort. “No offense, doc, my tactics tend to boil down to ‘punch it ‘til it stops being a problem.’”

“Precisely what I mean!”

Megatron’s success in war so far was nothing more than a series of sheer and utter coincidences. Dumb luck, or the work of other mechs. In the beginning he’d been enough, able to make plans and put them into motion enough to destroy the senate at least, but as time went on he became more and more chaotic and eventually the Decepticons were only winning because there were more of them and they were  _ bigger. _ Knock Out was very close to joining the Autobots, actually, but witnessing a squad of them getting their afts kicked kind of solidified him and Breakdown getting cozy with the ‘cons instead.

Ugh. Maybe it would have been better if they were Autobots. At least they could just vote to get someone that shouldn’t be in power out of it. Theoretically, then again the senate had gotten pretty damn corrupted and it ran under the same principles, so maybe not.

“I really do need your help, Breakdown,” he said, voice soft. “And so does Starscream. Something is  _ going _ to change soon. I want to make sure it changes for the better.”

Breakdown sighed, leaning slightly to press his face against Knock Out’s. “I know. And I will help you. I just need you to tell me you know what you’re doing, that this isn’t gonna go wrong, that you and Screamer aren’t gonna end up turned into scrap metal for your efforts. I need to know we’re gonna be okay.”

Knock Out was a medic. His job was, in essence, to fix things. So that was what he was going to do; he was going to steel himself, help his patient, and  _ fix things. _

“I know what I’m doing, Breakdown. I will be fine, Starscream will be fine.  _ We _ will be fine.”

The hold around his middle tightened ever-so-slightly. It was a defensive movement, instinctual after so many millennia of serving a role. If Knock Out’s job was to fix things, Breakdown’s job was to protect them once they were fixed. And, ever obedient soldier that he was, he would comply. Even if inaction may be better for himself in the long run.

So selfless, his Breakdown. And mechs wondered why Knock Out had fallen for him.

“I trust you, Knock Out. Whatever you need, whatever your plan is-- I’ll help you.”

“Thank you, Breakdown.”

He looked towards Starscream’s unconscious form. Starscream, who had more mental issues than Knock Out knew how to deal with. Who somehow managed to be both so arrogant and so unsure at the same time. Who kept going even when he should have been dead countless times over. Who was supposed to  _ lead _ them.

And he sighed. They had their work cut out for them.

But what else was new, really?


	2. Section 2: Knock Out & Soundwave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soundwave may be "his most loyal," but he's not an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was actually the first part of the story i wrote. i was just thinkin about soundwave. might be a little ooc but this is so wildly AU at this point its whatever lol
> 
> oh and as you may have noticed the chapter count was raised by one. ended up writing an additional chapter cause i felt like it needed a lil more substance

The  _ Nemesis  _ didn’t really have proper day-night cycles, thanks to it being constantly in motion, but there was a set time every day when mechs were released from their shifts to recharge and the lights were dimmed and the only personnel left awake were ones essential to the ship’s continued functioning.

And Soundwave.

Though it could have been argued that he was essential personnel. The  _ Nemesis _ was old. Very old. It was, in no uncertain terms, a miracle that it was still running as efficiently as it did. A miracle, or the dedicated work of one communications officer and third-in-command. 

It was a common conception among the Decepticon ranks that Soundwave was not a normal Cybertronian. That over the course of the war, in an effort to be as useful to the Decepticon cause as he was able, he’d modified himself to be as much a machine as the computer consoles along the walls. That he no longer needed to refuel, or recharge, that he had optics everywhere and audials everywhere else. That he had disabled his emotional processors. 

While these were not  _ entirely _ untrue, Knock Out knew quite well that Soundwave was just as much a mech as the rest of them. You couldn’t be the chief medical officer aboard a ship and not be acutely aware of how each mech on it was functioning. Well-- you couldn’t be a  _ good _ CMO, anyways.

And Knock Out, for all his flaws, was  _ not _ a bad doctor.

To  _ any _ of his patients.

Which was why he was currently stepping into the bridge, empty save for himself and Soundwave standing at his console, with a cube of energon in servo.

The communications officer didn’t look up as he approached, but he knew Soundwave was aware of his presence. The whole ‘optics everywhere, audials everywhere else’ was mostly true. Soundwave’s ability to interact with the ship’s systems with his data cables gave him a deeper connection to every aspect of its functioning, including the security systems. Soundwave had likely seen Knock Out approach through the camera placed outside the door to the bridge.

“Soundwave,” Knock Out said, “we need to talk.”

That got Soundwave to pause. His visor flicked to Knock Out for a moment, head angling down to glance at the outstretched cube. He seemed to see it as the peace offering it was and carefully took it in the claws of one cable. The console idled, and Knock Out took the cue to start talking.

“Starscream will make a full recovery,” he opened with. It was important Soundwave knew what the conversation would be about before they got too deep into it. He wouldn’t like a surprise. “Megatron didn’t do any lasting damage.”

Soundwave paused. Good. He understood.

“You have to see what I do. He’s out of line, Soundwave.”

There was a ping from his commlink, and he opened the channel.

[Soundwave: has observed Lord Megatron’s behavior.] He dipped the connector of one cable into the cube he held, and the blue liquid slowly drained as he refueled. [Lord Megatron:] The comm buzzed as it went unfinished. Soundwave reset the link and began again. [Lord Megatron: acting how he sees fit.]

“How he sees fit,” Knock Out repeated, rolling his optics and hauling himself up to sit on the edge of the console. Soundwave bristled, but didn’t complain. “ _ How he sees fit _ is bringing his second within an inch of being offline every time the poor thing so much as coughs in a way Megatron doesn’t like. He killed three vehicons the other day because they were  _ talking too loud _ for his taste. He left one of  _ four _ actual officers he has to be dismantled by humans because he thought he was  _ too weak. _ There’s a shard of an unquantified substance in his  _ spark chamber--  _ you have to see he’s off his rocker!” 

The empty cube was crushed in the claws of Soundwave’s cable. [Soundwave: loyal.]

“Oh, come off it,” Knock Out said with a scoff. “Soundwave is following a leader with holes in his processor.” 

[Soundwave:  _ loyal.] _

“To what end?!” It was a shout as he jumped to his pedes, slamming a fist against the console. He was definitely getting up in Soundwave’s space at this point. His own optics reflected in the visor back at him. “How long will you stay loyal to a leader that doesn’t have a functioning logic center? How long will you stay loyal to a leader who kills his troops because they  _ annoy _ him? Soundwave, this war could’ve been over millennia ago, and the only reason it’s not is because  _ Megatron _ is insistent on keeping it going because he’s borderline  _ obsessed _ with Optimus Prime.”

Soundwave seemed to stall for a moment. [Lord Megatron: waiting for the right opportunity to offline Optimus Prime.] The justification sounded weak even to Knock Out’s audials.

“To borrow a human phrase;  _ bull-shit. _ Megatron couldn’t actually kill Prime if the mech was chained up, weaponless, and served on a silver platter in front of him. We came to earth because  _ Prime _ was here and that’s it.” Sort of. Honestly there had been a collection of reasons, they would’ve ended up here eventually thanks to the Energon quantity, but they came a lot sooner thanks to Prime’s presence. Knock Out knew. He read the logs. “He’s  _ never _ going to end this war, and he’s going to drag all of us down with him.”

Soundwave’s visor flashed. [Query: what is your point with this conversation?]

Narrow red optics met ones hidden behind a mask. “Starscream.”

As much as Soundwave was like any other mech, he was also not like any other mech, particularly in the way his processor ran. A fancy way of saying he was a lot smarter than most folks. He was able to draw accurate conclusions with very little information to go off of. So he heard what Knock Out said, and he connected some dots, and Knock Out saw the whole thought process play out across the screen of his visor. It became clear he’d figured it out when he froze and the screen abruptly went blank.

And Knock Out was grabbed by several data cables and slammed against the wall.

[Knock Out: proposing treason] Soundwave spat through the comm, laced with as much anger as could be conveyed in a digital signature. [Knock Out: traitor. Soundwave: loyal. Soundwave: loyal.  _ Soundwave: loyal. SOUNDWAVE: LOYAL. SOUNDWAVE: LOYAL.] _

Knock Out winced and lowered the volume of his commlink as Soundwave repeated the phrase, still pinning the medic to the wall, the unused cables hovering around dangerously. Ready to attack at a moment’s notice. He glanced down. Soundwave’s servos were shaking.

“Soundwave,” he said quietly, “Megatron’s going to lead us all to ruin. You would follow him there?”

The cables holding him went lax, and he slowly slid to the floor. The damage to his paint was… minimal. It had been more a display of strength and an intimidation tactic than an actual attempt to do harm. He could disregard the scratches for now. He would have Breakdown fix them later, the conversation they were having was more important.

Oh, come off it, he could pay attention to things other than his finish when it suited him! Don’t look so surprised.

Soundwave shuffled forward and planted his head against Knock Out’s shoulder. His frame was shaking. [Soundwave: loyal.] he repeated again, quieter and laced with insecurity and static. Soundwave was intelligent-- there was no way he wasn’t seeing the same logic that Knock Out was. And he clearly hated it.

After a brief moment of consideration, Knock Out raised a servo and curled it around the communications officer’s arm, over the Decepticon insignia emblazoned there. “Your continued dedication is certainly admirable,” he said, keeping his voice low, “but you have to know it’s misplaced.”

[Soundwave: must be  _ loyal. _ ]

"Loyal to _whom?"_ Knock Out huffed, patting his arm a couple times. “Come now, you’re far too smart for this. Use that powerful processor of yours and think for yourself. Stop letting your every waking thought revolve around  _ Megatron, _ for Primus’s sake.”

Soundwave was still shaking, but the next comm came through clearly. [Soundwave: fought in the pits. Caste system: unjust. Megatronus: spoke of revolution. Soundwave: followed a visionary out of the dark. Soundwave: loyal to Megatronus.] He shuddered, as though it hurt to continue, but continue he did. [Lord Megatron: no longer the mech who began the Decepticons. Lord Megatron: has become the tyrant he fought to stop.] There was a moment’s hesitation, then; [Starscream: superior.]

“I know, I don’t like saying it either. But it’s true. Starscream is a bit of a coward, and a suck-up, and wouldn’t know loyalty if it bit him on the aft. Despite that, he’s a Decepticon at spark, and is actually capable of making smart decisions when he’s not waylaid by his own ambition. As you try very hard to pretend didn’t happen,” Knock Out said, turning his head to give the mech leaning against him a skeptical look, “he led the Decepticons for the three years Megatron was absent. Quite successfully, I might add. Need I remind you he’s the only one of us who’s ever actually  _ killed _ an Autobot since we arrived on Earth? Megatron’s presence debilitates him. Being around our glorious leader turns him into an idiot.”

[Starscream: capable. Starscream: afraid of Megatron. Fear: makes him act irrationally.]

“So if we remove the thing that causes the fear…”

[Starscream: ...superior.]

“Starscream’s plots have never succeeded on his own. With three of us backing him up, though? I believe we could do it.”

[Query: three of us?]

“You, myself, and Breakdown. He’ll help us too, of course. He adores the vehicons, and he hates the way Megatron mistreats them. Plus he’ll go along with anything I tell him to. We’ve already discussed it.” Big, obedient Breakdown. Stars he loved that mech.

He heard the humming from Soundwave’s frame increase briefly. [Chances of success: significantly higher with assistance. Likelihood of Megatron’s termination: high.]

Knock Out nodded. “We probably shouldn’t tell Starscream about this. With how quickly he cracks when Megatron pressures him, he’d probably end up spilling the truth on accident.” Megatron could glare at Starscream and he’d readily tell the warlord every little secret he was trying to pretend he could keep.

[Soundwave: agrees. Starscream: could be a liability.] A pause. [Starscream: a liability to his own coup.]

“Well, he is nothing if not a walking contradiction.”

[Starscream: enigma. Query: remind me why we’re putting  _ him _ in charge and not, say, me?]

“I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you’re not a leader, Soundwave. You’re a brilliant tactician and an indispensable asset, but you don’t have the drive to take command of an army.” He respected the communications officer greatly. But if Soundwave was the sort to lead an army, he would have already taken command by now.

There was the impression of a sigh over the commlink. [Soundwave: concurs.] 

The communications officer stepped away. All signs of his previous internal conflict were gone-- he was back to the stoical, apathetic image he always put on. He turned away from Knock Out and went back to his console. It was clear their conversation was over.

As Knock Out started to leave, there was a final ping from his commlink.

[Soundwave: will not be calling him Lord Starscream.]

Knock Out barked a laugh. “Oh, don’t worry. I won’t either. The Decepticons don’t need a  _ lord _ spitting orders at them. They need a  _ commander. _ ” The only reason Starscream demanded on using that ridiculous title was because it was the one Megatron used. _Everything_ the seeker did was because of Megatron.

It was time for a regime change. 


	3. Section 3: Into Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is put in motion, and it doesn't *exactly* go the way anyone was expecting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways im impatient heres the Violence Chapter
> 
> im beginning to notice i have a tendency to write fics where my protags solve their problems through ~murder~

Knock Out really hoped he was as good at keeping his true feelings a secret as Breakdown said he was. If he wasn’t, and he let his anxiety show, things could go very wrong very, very quickly.

The plan was relatively simple. While Knock Out had wanted to do something a bit sneakier, perhaps utilize his medical expertise, the unfortunate reality of the situation was that Megatron literally never went to the medbay, as he had spoken to Breakdown about. It was so rare he actually got lasting damage during a battle, and anything he did get could be fixed by his self-repair systems within days. So a subtler approach would not work. Thankfully, they had Soundwave.

With the communications officer on their side, they were able to create a false beacon on the ship’s consoles and make it look like an Autobot pod had crashed. After that it was only a matter of Knock Out mentioning that Optimus might show up to get Megatron on board with leading a team to the location himself. The location they picked for their assassination was a mountain range in one of Earth’s colder climates. Visibility would be low, the weather would mess with Megatron’s comms, and impede his movement. 

Megatron sneered as he stepped through the groundbridge, Knock Out, Starscream, and the handful of vehicons they’d briefed beforehand following along behind him.

Knock Out held the scanner, still pinging the location of the supposed Autobot beacon a little ways ahead of them. The excuse for why they couldn’t just bridge directly to it was that the terrain was too unpredictable. Megatron didn’t need to know that they’d scouted the area prior to faking the beacon to make sure it would work for their needs. As they walked, Knock Out’s commlink pinged.

[Team two: in position.]

Knock Out’s optics flicked to the ridge where he knew Soundwave and Breakdown to be hiding. While Knock Out (and, unintentionally, Starscream) distracted Megatron, those two would do the attacking part. They’d need Breakdown’s firepower to actually be able to get through Megatron’s thick armor.

Then, if that didn’t work, Knock Out and the Vehicons (plus Lazerbeak) would go to town and hope they were enough. Also, hope that Starscream didn’t get any bright ideas and try to side with Megatron through all this.

They walked through the cold with barely any chatter, Knock Out leading the way with Starscream at Megatron’s side. Subtly, the vehicons moved to cover the open sides. It wouldn’t be much if Megatron tried to fly off in his alt, or start attacking, but it would hopefully give them enough time to react to whatever he may do.

The scanner beeped as they “got closer” to their target, the location of which was actually just the best position for Breakdown to get a clear shot at Megatron. 

Another beep and Knock Out stopped, frowning, and tapped the side of it a few times. The screen fizzled with static. Megatron noticed his hesitation and stopped as well, looking over with a sneer.

“Well?”

  
“Apologies, Lord Megatron, the weather must be messing with our scanners,” he said. The vehicons quietly moved out of Megatron’s line of sight. “I’ll have it fixed in a jiffy.”

“See that you do,” the warlord snarled, “my already meager patience is running thin.”

“Yes, just a moment.” He tapped at the screen uselessly for a moment. [Now.]

The scanner gave a shrill beep, one that had Knock Out wincing and every other mech moving to cover their audials. At the same time, masked under the sound, blaster fire echoed around the cliffs surrounding them. Megatron had barely a second to look surprised at the smoking hole in his chest before another shot through the side of his head and he crashed to the ground, optics dark.

Everything was still for a few moments. Its purpose served, Knock Out turned off the scanner, tucking it in his subspace. The tension in the air was like a physical blanket.

He glanced over at Starscream.

If Knock Out was to be honest, he’d been expecting Starscream’s expression upon seeing Megatron fall, frame gray and lifeless, to be something along the lines of victorious pride or sheer glee. Certainly not the stunned horror that made up the seeker’s expression. He was frozen, optics locked onto the holes in Megatron’s chassis.

“...Starscream?” Knock Out said cautiously.

The seeker jolted. “You-- What--” He bared his teeth, but the threatening effect was somewhat lost with how wide and panicked his optics were. “It must have been an Autobot! This was a trick, they lured us here!” He pointed to the vehicons gathered in a cluster behind Knock Out. “You! Spread out, find the perpetrator! Knock Out, help me-- why aren’t you moving?!”

The vehicons hadn’t obeyed the command, instead glancing towards Knock Out with uncertainty. Knock Out made a placating gesture to them. “Starscream,” he said, catching the seeker’s attention. “There were no Autobots.”

“But--” Starscream sputtered. “There  _ must _ have been! I saw where those shots were fired from, if I can try and-- and follow the line of fire--”

“Starscream!” Knock Out stepped forward, grabbing Starscream’s servos, drawing his attention away from their deceased (former) leader. “There  _ were _ no Autobots, because it was Breakdown who fired that shot.”

Starscream’s optics went even wider, if possible. “Wh-- That--  _ Traitor!!” _

This was entirely  _ not _ the reaction Knock Out had been expecting. As Starscream pulled his servos away, probably aiming to draw a weapon, Knock Out swept his arms out and grabbed the seeker around the middle, pinning his arms to his sides. He ignored the screeching and writhing as he desperately sent Soundwave a ping. [We have a  _ problem _ here!!]

A few brief seconds of nothing, then the sound of a transformation and Soundwave dropped from the sky, reaching out with his data cables and wrapping them around Starscream to keep him from clawing Knock Out’s optics out or something. [Starscream: desist] came over the local channel.

“Soundwave!! These mechs are traitors!! They admitted it--  _ Breakdown _ killed our master, not me-- get  _ him _ instead!!”

[Breakdown: not a traitor. Knock Out: not a traitor. Soundwave: not a traitor. Soundwave: loyal to the Decepticon cause.] Soundwave angled his visor forward, the light catching on its glass surface. [Megatron: has fallen. Starscream: now leads the Decepticons.] 

The familiar words being said by another made Starscream freeze, and this close Knock Out could hear the whine of his fans clicking on as his processor struggled.

“...What?”

Slowly, Knock Out let his grip relax, and as Starscream didn’t try to struggle any further he stepped away entirely. Soundwave let his data cables pull away as well. They stayed hovering nearby as a safety measure, presumably. As good as reading mechs as Knock Out was, he couldn’t get a read on what the hell might be going through Starscream’s mind at the moment.

[Megatron: has fallen,] Soundwave repeated. [Starscream--]

The comm was cut off as Starscream made a pained noise, looking between Soundwave and Megatron’s still form.

“He’s--” Starscream’s servos clapped over his mouth, and Knock Out and Soundwave both moved to grab him again. Not because he was trying to attack any of them, but because his pedes suddenly gave out and he would have hit the ground had they not caught him. Soundwave kept one data cable coiled around his midsection while Knock Out wrapped both arms around his shoulder and front.

The near-silent sound of tires on snow was followed by the sound of a transformation, and Breakdown trotted over to give the whole situation a confused look.

[Is he…] the ping came over Knock Out’s private line. [...okay?]

[I believe he’s in a state of shock.] Then, out loud, clear and in the ‘medic’ voice he rarely used; “Starscream, can you hear me? I need you to respond, out loud if you can.”

No response.

“Starscream, are you okay?”

“I--” A sharp inhale from the seeker. “What-- what do we do? I can’t-- I never-- I never actually wanted--”

His fans briefly sped up, then all of a sudden died, and his optics went dark. He slumped over in Knock Out and Soundwave’s hold. Breakdown jolted, and Soundwave’s data cable tensed, but Knock Out simply frowned and reached up to place a servo over his chest. “Overclocking,” he said. “His processor was running faster than his frame could handle, he overheated and entered emergency stasis. He’ll be fine with some coolant and rest.”

[Query: are you  _ sure _ he’s the best mech to put in charge?]

“Oh, stuff it up your actuator, Soundwave.”

He gestured Breakdown over, and the bruiser’s formidable strength was enough to heft Starscream’s limp form up on his own. Soundwave pulled his data cables away and stowed them in his chest.

Knock Out sighed. “Right,” he said, straightening up. He snapped his digits to get the idling vehicons’ attention. Once they were looking, he gestured to the rapidly cooling frame on the ground. “Clean this up, deposit it in the medbay once we return to the nemesis. At least some of those parts have to be functional enough to be worth saving. Soundwave-- a groundbridge back to the nemesis, if you please?” 

The communications officer leveled his visor at Knock Out, but a moment later a swirling green portal opened up a few paces away. Breakdown carried Starscream in first, followed a moment later by the vehicons hefting Megatron’s corpse through. Knock Out followed, and as Soundwave stepped through, the chill of the mountains disappeared with the portal closing.

That was certainly one way to kick off a new era of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I think I should talk about this chapter a bit. Perhaps its a bit presumptuous of me, and maybe I’m giving my readers too little credit (especially since so many of you who have commented share my POV), but I’d rather address this now instead of having to respond individually if multiple people raise questions about it.
> 
> Specifically, this is going to explain my reasoning behind why Starscream reacted the way he did.
> 
> If you’ve read my other works featuring him, it might not come as too much of a surprise, but part of what draws me to Starscream so much is the depth of his character. There’s just so many moving pieces involved in how he functions, it’s fascinating to try and analyze. There’s how he appears on the surface, of course: egotistical, cowardly, cares for nothing but his own ambition. Then there’s what you’ll see if you look a bit closer: a mech that’s clearly damaged. Egotistical not because he believes he’s the best but because he wants to make everyone think he is. Cowardly not because he’s weak but because he’s been hurt. Ambitious not because he wants power but because he wants acknowledgement. You keep looking and you see trauma, you see PTSD, you see a desperate desire to be liked and wanted and *accepted.* You see a frenzied desire to please. Starscream is a victim of abuse and while that in no way excuses the things he’s done (don’t get me wrong-- he’s a criminal and a murderer and should be treated as such) it gives a significance to his actions that you’d miss if you didn’t acknowledge this.
> 
> **TFP Season 3 Spoilers ahead**
> 
> When Megatron dies in what Starscream thinks is a permanent end, he doesn’t do what would be expected from the image he tries to put on. With all his schemes you’d imagine that as soon as Megatron was so clearly out of the picture, he’d try to take control of the Decepticons. He’d start bossing Shockwave and the Vehicons around and trying to take out the Autobots himself. But he doesn’t. Instead he just watches in shock, then immediately tries to get *revenge* for his fallen “master.” Assuming power is the last thing on his mind. 
> 
> Keeping all of this in mind, it pains me to see how shallowly people tend to treat his character. And hey, I’m not saying the show writers are flawless either-- they fuck it up a *lot.* But they were clearly trying to aim for an abuse victim story with him, and even if they didn’t get it right all the time (even if they got it wrong *most* of the time), the intention is there and it’s that intention which gives us as fanfiction writers the space to fill the gaps. To take the bare bones we’re given and flesh them out into something complex. It’s the potential that’s laid out which sparks inspiration for us to make it something more. 
> 
> All this being said, I’m glad people have enjoyed the story so far. This fic exists as a way for me to explore dynamics that I think were mishandled by canon, and getting so much positive feedback is very validating. Thank you all for reading <3
> 
> \- A.R.


	4. Section 4: Postscript

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Really, it's awful rude of an arch nemesis to just up and leave without any kind of warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok. final chapter. this one was written a good bit after the other three, so pardon any continuity mistakes

While it really should have been a cause for celebration, the lack of Decepticon activity was worrying Optimus’s processor something fierce.

Well-- not the lack of  _ Decepticon _ activity. Technically, it was the lack of  _ Megatron _ activity. The Decepticons as a unit were still very much active-- the scrapes on Bumblebee’s frame from the recent failed attack on a nearby mine were testament enough to that-- but the warlord himself hadn’t been seen in weeks. Normally he frequented the battlefields, usually to taunt Optimus directly. But he’d seen neither paint nor plating of the Decepticon leader.

“What are you worried for, Optimus?” Ratchet huffed. “The less we see of him the better.”

Yet he couldn’t help but worry that there was something sinister at play. The Decepticons had all but withdrawn from Earth-- the only time they were ever seen was working at one of their many mining operations. Arcee and Bulkhead only had to fight a single mech in their mission to get the polarity gauntlet. And that mech hadn’t even been an official Decepticon.

Something was  _ definitely _ up.

“Optimus. You’ve got to stop worrying about Megatron so much. Seriously. What does it matter  _ why _ the Decepticons stopped being so tetchy? The point is that they  _ stopped. _ ” This argument was heard from Ratchet, and several ones just like it (though phrased differently) from his other teammates. Deep down, he knew they were right. Any reasoning the Decepticons had for being less forwardly aggressive was a good reason.

But he still worried. He couldn’t help himself.

The first hints of an answer came when their own energon stores started running dangerously low and the whole team ended up being deployed to try and take a mine. It was registered as being decommissioned, but that had clearly been false, because not only were there a dozen vehicons gathered around the entrance, but Starscream was standing there as well. He had one servo on his hip and was gesturing vaguely with the other. And, standing at his side, was Soundwave of all mechs. Which seemed odd-- the faceless mech rarely left their ship. Maybe Megatron was worried Starscream would do something wrong and… sent him as supervision?

Why couldn’t he supervise the seeker himself? Why couldn’t he supervise the mining operation himself? What was going  _ on? _

Optimus gestured for Bulkhead and Arcee to circle around the other side of the mine and try to sneak in, and for Bumblebee to follow him. He gets close enough to be able to hear whatever Starscream is chattering about.

“...a few sections near the front, I had them marked out before the teams began. Make sure they don’t go any further than the warning signs. Part of the reason I was able to pass it off as useless so easily was because of the structural instability. The sensors came back inaccurate, even though I saw evidence myself that they were lying, and he wasn’t too inclined to check himself whether or not they were true.” Starscream began to fidget, wings twitching. “It was-- I never intended to-- to keep it from him forever, though, of course-- it was merely a-- a safety precaution in case he--”

Optimus blinked a couple times as he watched a data cable slowly unwind from Soundwave’s chest and curl around Starscream’s upper arm. Starscream’s rambling fell silent, and he closed his optics and vented a couple times. His fans, which Optimus didn’t realize had come online, went quiet. That was… not something the Prime had seen happen before.

“Right. Thank you, Soundwave. Anyways-- while there may be more energon deeper within the mine, it’s far too dangerous to risk a team of troops. Once we extract the resources from the marked area we’ll withdraw. How is the mine in sector B-fifteen faring?”

Silence, presumably as Soundwave transmitted him a response. Starscream’s expression twisted into a frown. “Did the secondary team not report for duty?” More silence, followed by; “those idiots. Tell them to withdraw immediately, increased efficiency doesn’t mean scrap if we’re killing our soldiers to get it.” Soundwave nodded, then turned to walk away. Starscream called after him; “And tell Breakdown to stop encouraging them so much! They’re all tripping over themselves to please him, it’s making them look ridiculous.”

Soundwave’s shoulders shook as he opened a groundbridge and walked through, in a movement that was unmistakably  _ laughter. _ Soundwave laughing, Starscream giving such…  _ sensible _ orders-- something was  _ definitely _ wrong here.

[Arcee, Bulkhead, be advised; the structure of the mine is unstable. Do not engage.]

[What-- really? Scrap, okay, we’ll uh… Bulkhead no, we’re leaving.]

At that Optimus stood, putting his blaster away, and walked towards Starscream.

The seeker noticed him immediately, optics going wide and wings drawing close to his back. He took half a step back away from Optimus (and Bumblebee, who had joined him) and held up both servos. “Come now,” he said, “we can-- Let’s be sensible.”

“I am not going to attack,” Optimus said, holding up his own servos in a similarly pacifistic gesture. “I just want to talk.”

Starscream made a disgusted expression, but didn’t immediately run away. Which was a good sign. The other vehicons standing around the entrance of the mine had caught sight of them, their bright paint did them no favors in being stealthy, but… didn’t seem too inclined to attack. They were just watching the interaction in silence.

  
“Alright,” Starscream said, “...about what?”

Might as well just say it outright. “Where is Megatron?”

Starscream froze. There was a foreboding chill in Optimus’s spark.

“He--” There was a low rattling sound, and Optimus realized belatedly that it was the sound of Starscream’s wings shaking against the plating of his back. “He is-- Lord Meg--” He squeezed his optics shut, and there was the familiar sound of his fans whining as they turned on.

Bumblebee made an alarmed noise and surged forward, wrapping a servo around Starscream’s upper arm in the same way Shockwave’s data cable had done earlier. It seemed to have an immediate calming effect on the seeker. His wings stopped shaking, his fans clicked off, and he took a few deep vents. He kept his optics closed, though, and Bumblebee kept a servo on his arm.

“Megatron is no longer with us,” Starscream said, voice remarkably steady.

Optimus blinked. Bumblebee blinked as well, letting go of the seeker’s arm in shock. Starscream opened his optics, pointedly avoiding looking at Bumblebee, who was still standing within arm’s reach.

“...How?” Optimus whispered.

Starscream just shook his head. A moment later, another groundbridge opened, and Soundwave walked through. The flare of tension in Optimus’s frame was unnecessary-- the communications officer didn’t attack, simply walked over and set thin digits against Starscream’s back. There was a ping on Optimus’s local channel.

[This conversation: concluded.] Soundwave’s visor flashed. [Starscream: return home. Autobots: return home. Optimus Prime: may stay. Soundwave: will explain.]

“Very well.” He tilted his head. [Ratchet, open a groundbridge. Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead-- return to base. I must stay a bit longer.]

There were confused noises from every participant in the conversation, but Optimus stood his ground. Bumblebee left to join the other two in heading back. As the sound of their groundbridge closing echoed across the valley, another bridge opened beside the group. After one more comforting pat from Soundwave, Starscream headed through, and Optimus and the Decepticon communications officer were left alone.

[Optimus Prime: follow.] He began walking, and Optimus trotted to catch up. The vehicons they passed paid them no mind.

“Megatron, he is… offline?”

[Optimus Prime: correct. Megatron:] Optimus noted the lack of a “lord” before it. [Deceased. Query: are you upset about it?]

“No,” he answered instantly, then realized it wasn’t entirely true. “I… Acknowledge that such action was…” The words trailed off. There was nothing he could end them with that didn’t sound like posturing.

[Query: do you miss him?]

His vocalizer buzzed as he started to say ‘no’ again, but it died when he realized that  _ also _ was not true. As much as he would never admit it aloud to a single spark out there, he  _ did _ miss Megatron. Rather, the Megatron he remembered. The charming gladiator who had given him that sharp-toothed smile and talked philosophy with him for hours on end. On the surface he knew that mech was long gone, but some part of him had still been holding out hope that he could be saved from his own ambition. Too late now, he supposed.

[Soundwave: remembers Orion Pax. Soundwave: remembers how close he was to Megatronus.] A pause. [Optimus Prime: is allowed to miss his friend.]

This conversation was rapidly heading into increasingly uncomfortable territory. He moved on before he’d end up saying something he’d regret, or started crying on Soundwave or something. He still had a bit of an image to keep, after all. “...How did it happen?”

[His demise: a collaborative effort. Knock Out: provided distraction. Soundwave: provided reconnaissance and spotting. Breakdown: provided firepower.]

“A--” Optimus’s optics went wide. “A coup? And-- and you were involved??”

[Optimus Prime: correct.]

“But-- but aren’t you--” He vented a few times, his processor spinning wildly trying to right itself from having its world turned on its head. “I thought you were loyal to him.”

He felt more than saw Soundwave bristle. [Soundwave: loyal to Megatronus. Soundwave: loyal to the Decepticon cause. Soundwave: will not be subjugated again.] He climbed up the side of the cliff and stood on the ledge overlooking the valley. Optimus followed. This high up, the vehicons looked almost the size of humans. [Megatron: was not Megatronus. Megatron: lost his ideals. Megatron: became the tyrant he swore to destroy. Megatron: a liability. Megatron: violent. Megatron: abusive. Megatron: inferior. Starscream: superior.]

The worst part: Optimus understood what Soundwave was talking about. Megatron  _ had _ lost himself somewhere along the way. Probably, Optimus felt with a touch of guilt, around when he was named Prime. When the Decepticon movement had first started it had been  _ their _ movement. It was  _ their _ revolution, they built it together from the ground up. Megatronus, the charismatic public speaker, the miner turned gladiator that the lower castes could relate to. Orion Pax, his shadow of a data clerk, able to write pieces that could appeal to the higher castes based on his own experiences with them. They could have reinvented Cybertron together. Then Optimus was named Prime, and Megatron grew bitter, and everything went wrong in all the worst ways.

“So you--” Optimus looked at him. “You organized a coup against Megatron and, with the assistance of Knock Out and Breakdown, killed him and replaced him with… Starscream? Why not yourself?” Soundwave had been at Megatron’s side almost as long as Optimus had. If anyone else was going to take charge of the Decepticons, Optimus would expect it to be him.

[Soundwave: not a leader. Soundwave: loyal. Soundwave: capable. Soundwave: prefers staying in the background. Starscream: capable. Starscream: not to be underestimated.] Soundwave looked out towards where Earth’s sun was beginning to set. [Starscream: more capable without Megatron around. Megatron: distracted him. Megatron: hurt him. Starscream: intelligent. Starscream: understands both of our positions. Starscream: does not want to continue the war.]

“...He… does not? Truly?”

[Soundwave: speaks truthfully.] He got the impression of a sigh. [Cybertron: dead. Senate: gone. War: over. Decepticons: victorious. Megatron: continued the war because of Optimus Prime. Starscream: does not hold the same grudge towards you or anyone.]

Optimus winced. Once again, Soundwave was correct on all accounts. That didn’t mean it didn’t still hurt to hear it said so plainly.

[Query: will you be willing to listen when he tries to organize a ceasefire?]

“I will be receptive. I… cannot promise the same about the other Autobots. But I promise, if Starscream truly seeks peace, I will not attempt to impede his efforts in any way. I, too, wish for this long war to finally end.”

[Soundwave: glad you see reason. Request: don’t tell the other Autobots about what I said regarding Starscream or Megatron. The details of our discussion: not their business. Starscream’s private life: not their business.] The comm was laced with a threat. As though it would be a very bad idea if he  _ were _ to share the nitty gritty details of their conversation. But Optimus Prime was not that kind of mech.

“This conversation will stay between us. This, I promise.”

Soundwave nodded. He looked back towards the sun, now far enough below the horizon that the sky was cast in shades of purples and blues. 

[Soundwave: likes this planet. Soundwave: finds it beautiful.]

“I agree,” Optimus said, voice soft. “It is truly a sight to behold.”

The two stood in silence until the sky was dark, pinpricks of light scattered across the backdrop of pitch, at which point there was a crackle of static from Optimus’s comm. Ratchet, asking whether he was alright and when he would be back.

“I ought to be going,” he said, an amount of regret in his tone. “My team is beginning to wonder where I am.”

[Optimus Prime: free to go. Soundwave: enjoyed previous conversation.] Soundwave looked over at him. [Query: do this again sometime?]

Optimus smiled. “I would be happy to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna write a whole big essay like I did last time, instead I'm just gonna say thank you for reading! What started as me rambling onto a page and complaining about M*gatron has turned into a much longer character study, and I've had a lot of really fun conversations with people in the comments! I appreciate all of you so much and seeing the lil inbox notification always lights up my day <3
> 
> Hope everyone's doing okay with the current state of the world. I wish you all the best!
> 
> \- A.R.

**Author's Note:**

> i do not know if theres any major problems with this and i no longer care wooooo


End file.
